Monday, January 07, 2013

Time Zones!

One of the things I absolutely love seeing as a teacher is the variety of Leader/Ender projects that students bring to class!

Over the past week between my time at Fabric Fanatics in Plano, and with the Quilt Asylum girls in McKinney ---I saw everything from 4-patches to 9-patches to half square triangles to tumblers, and yes there were bow-ties and spool blocks and every little unit that you can possibly imagine.

And as I walked by ---students were explaining to other students just WHAT these little units were and how a “free quilt” can build itself between the other lines of piecing. Nods of “Oh! I get it” were seen from those who were unfamiliar with the term or the concept!

This morning I want to share Susan’s awesome leader/ender quilt with you ---- Each of her “big blocks” contain 144 pieces ---or 16 9 patches, or 36 4 patches, however you want to build it!

The over-all effect is stunning!

Susan is the owner of Quilt Asylum in McKinney, TX. She worked from a plastic shoe box…cutting scraps into 1.5” squares, using the squares as leaders & enders in between piecing other projects. When the variety in the shoe box ran low, she’d scrounge up more scraps --- yes, working in a quilt shop helps ---she admitted to some pieces being harvested from trash bins!

There is no rhyme or reason to the placement of the value or color within each block – it is completely random.

After the blocks were made she decided how to set them, using a poison green print from a long past Pilgrim & Roy line to set them with ----and we laughed about fabric that resurfaces from the “Deep Stash” ((Said with your voice as low as you can get it….)) It was the perfect fabric for setting these blocks off! 9 patch cornerstones were the perfect choice!

Leader/Ender quilts do not have to take a lot of planning ahead of time. Just start with a handful of squares. You can cut more later ----just plan THAT far ahead ---and watch how you can “grow a quilt” without having to spend much time at it at all – just by ending each seam with a pair of squares that stays under the presser foot while you go press ---

29 comments:

I started out with a block pattern of my mom's for a L&E project, but part way thru, I abandoned my other projects and went all the way on the L&E project and finished it. Gave it to Quilts of Valor program. Sew funny....

My current leader/ender project is flying geese to use as a border on the ends only of my Easy Street. I'll add a narrow border on the ends first, then the FG, and end with another narrow border. This will make it just the right size to use on my queen size bed to keep me cozy warm.

Perfect! I have 1 1/2" squares, not strips, and nothing sorted by value or color. Hmm, should I finish my other leader and ender? Nah, one for home, one for travel and class. Yea! another quilt started. :)

I've been making very scrappy leader/ender blocks from my Easy Street offcuts, using them in the size they are. You can see a picture In an entry on my blog for today (rooruu.blogspot.com). It's been good to use the scraps as I go.

I have leaders and enders from my flying geese units from a tee shirt quilt for my niece will have half square triangle units and hourglass units in black and bright. she may get them on the back of the quilt instead of black minkee fabric.

I work on several quilts at once; so I can usually find some small units from another quilt I am making, or even a different section of the quilt I am currently working on to use for leaders and enders.

I always try to have some, mainly because, otherwise, I feel like I am wasting SO MUCH thread pulling it to the back. I feel a bit guilty every time I don't have something to use as a L&E, and I pull the thread to the back of the machine.

Learning about Leaders & Enders is probably the single biggest 'EUREKA' moment I've had in quilting. I honestly don't know how to piece without them anymore, and can't imagine why anyone would choose NOT to use them. Is it wrong that seeing L/E units accumulate in between 'primary project' units makes me feel kind of smug? ;)

Candace, at least you can use just a small scrap of fabric when no leaders or enders are available to keep from those pesky tails which I hate. keeps those tails tamed and from all that cutting and pulling back. I keep several and use over and over. I understand where you are coming from!

I've used my Dresden Plate quilt as a Leader & Enders project. Have sewed quite a few of the ends closed; after pressing the blades I would sew two together, then four together, then eight and finally sixteen together. Didn't take long before a mini-plate was done. Think I'm on my 6th or 7th Dresden Plate quilt. Would you like to see one. Have a good day. From northern Iowa. . . .

Looks like a stained glass window!!!~ Very inspiring. Beautiful~ That post of your bags in your dad's car cracked me up!~ lolI have enjoyed seeing all the FINISHED tops of Easy Street. As always, I guess I'll be one of the last, but I have been doing other things. As you say, it's not a rush it is suppose to be fun. I will finish it. I want to share my sewing box when you have time and/or need a post to fill down time. If there is such a thing for you!~ You are an amazing woman! Don't know how you do it all, but glad you do.

I'm with you Tami! I'm going to abandon spools for a bit (I've maded just 86 and the goal is 700! Gathered up my 1-1/2" squares and put them by my treadles and spent an hour stitching this morning. Susan's quilt is great!!

rooruu -- enjoyed your blog post about scraps into gold. Also like how you do your countdown 8/365. Thank you for the inspiration. Will be good to possibly work my offcuts into the backing for my Easy Street. Thanks!